"chocolatiers" news and stories

My friend Nicole swears by Ethel's Chocolate. Seriously, she said, "They are the greatest chocolates I have ever eaten." That's high praise as Nicole loves her chocolate.

I checked out Ethel's online and their chocolates are gorgeous, like, audible gasp-gorgeous. These are obviously the best host gift (or loved-one gift, or self-gift) chocolates for this holiday season. Their holiday-themed packages are stunning, and even the regular sets, as you can see, are colorful and exciting. That's right, I said "exciting." They're also affordable; a 12-piece box is just $16.

Ethel's actually has lounges in Las Vegas and Chicago (and surrounding areas), which I certainly did not know. They cater to those passionate about chocolate who want to explore and experience "one of life's greatest pleasures." There are drinks. I shall consider these lounges chocolate brothels. And I want to go.

If you're not in Vegas or Chicago, like most of the world, Ethel's chocolates, in a stunning array of colors, are available online here. Check out our gallery for some great holiday gift ideas!

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Los Angeles gourmet chocolatier Compartes has created the perfect combination of style, charity, and deliciousness.

Chocolates for a Cause (5 piece box for $20, 10 piece box for $30) brings you five explosive chocolate flavors decorated with little colored Africas in a box with a Relief Beads bracelet, all to benefit Darfur.

Funds raised from this collaboration [with RELIEF INTERNATIONAL] go directly to funding the only women's center in Darfur!

The five flavors are made with the finest African ingredients - some of them hard to find, like carmelized plantains and grains of paradise.

You can order the packages here (in plenty of time for the holidays!) or click here for more info on the Relief Beads bracelets.

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There's a new wave of artisan chocolatiers, and the Bay Area is at the forefront.

Recipes and stories this week are: Grandmother's Oven-Baked Chicken, Almond Milk Curd (Hung Yun Dow Foo), Cojondongo (Gazpacho Salad), Mrs. Hyder's Mango Gazpacho, and Mango-Cucumber-Jicama Street Food.

All kinds of news-y tidbits: a soymilk maker, north Berkeley's old Bendean is now Bui, and kids' cookbooks from Williams-Sonoma.

One of the best chocolate retailers in the UK, Hotel Chocolat, has a special offer on its latest tasting pack.

Each month they send out a new selection of chocolates created by a variety of artisan chocolatiers. They are offering £6 off the regular price taking it down to just £9.95 including delivery. For this you get 28 chocolates, a full descriptive list and tasting notes, a tasting note scorecard for feedback, a copy of their magazine, The Chocolate News and a handbook detailing their Chocolate Tasting Club.

I often buy my family a selection of chocolates from Hotel Chocolat; the fact they never save me any is a good indication of how good they are!

(Note: They only send to the UK)

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If yesterday's post about  Consumer Reports' top picks for chocolate didn't give you enough to choose from, Fortune Small Business Magazine recently released a list of 18 of their favorite chocolate offerings from small candy companies. One of the better looking picks, in my opinion, are these two from Chocolat Moderne in New York. At the left is the raspberry ganache and on the right is a lychee jam with toasted coconut ganache. Other chocolatiers on the list included B.T. McElRath in Minneapolis, Romanicos Chocolate in Miami, Lillie Belle Farms in Jacksonville, Oregon and Christopher Elbow Artisinal Chocolates in Kansas City.

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